“Guided tours through the Prison”
The Wyoming Frontier Prison includes guided tours through the Prison, the Wyoming Peace Officers' Museum, a new exhibit on the current Wyoming State Penitentiary, and our own prison museum. The Old Pen Gift Shop is also on site along with the City of Rawlins walking path that will take you up to the old prison cemetery.
ps, bring a jacket, it was only 59 degrees in the prison in June. our tour guide said it's not comfortable in there till mid August. don't be like some of the inmates who froze to death there!
Lots of history and a very interesting tour guide! The exhibits were especially interesting -- they had many examples of inmate art work, improvised weapons as well as weapons used by guards.
The people here, mostly teenagers on vacation, are super friendly. I stopped her, midway through the first leg of my road trip, to just check it out. I had my dog with me, and they allowed me to bring her along on the tour, which is only $8/person. Great history to this place, and a fun 45 minute break from driving.
fascinating tour! get to see all the cell blocks, cafeteria, gas chamber, and gallows replica! very intriguing!
We enjoyed this brief stop on our way through town for its historic accuracy and real life sense of Wyoming as it was not so long ago. Unfortunately the tour start time didn’t match up with our schedule, though definitely worth it. Instead we walked through the open parts of the museum, took photos of ourselves and some artifacts, and marveled at how unforgiving western justice could be, especially for non-white people. This prison was the site for numerous executions, by hanging and gas chamber (displayed to those who take the tour), and more than a quarter of the condemned appear to have been people of color. The prison was in regular use until 1981.
Been there twice. First time was able to sit in the electric chair. Also the inmates dining room with the eyes following you from the painting on the wall. I hope they tell you why the inmates wanted to go to church. The one tour they were cleaning some area and there was a bloody shirt from a guard that got sliced up. They also made a B movie there.. Have fun because it is a part of history.
I absolutely loved stopping here and taking a tour. The guide did a great job and related some very interesting facts and stories about the prison. Even though a grim place, we learned a lot and had a fun time. The tour takes an hour and is well worth a stop if you are passing through Rawlings, Wyoming.
We all, including my kids (ages 9 & 6) loved this stop! So much history but an interesting way to learn it.
We randomly stopped here and wish we had planned more time for the tour. There is a museum/gallery they allow you to walk through for free with interesting information about the prison and inmates. We heard those coming out of the tour that it was one of the best they've been on. They said it took about 1 1/4 hours. It was $15 a person when we went, and given pretty much on the hour.
We hope to stop again.
The tour was definitely worth it. Fascinating stories of the facility and it inmates. You get to see pretty much the entire prison. Anyone would enjoy the tour but it was especially good for this history enthusiast and her true-crime road-tripping partner 👍🏻
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Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum
Hours
- Mon - Thu: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
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Pets Allowed
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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